I Have Designer Taste on a H&M Budget—This £55 Jacket Made Me Do a Double Take

From crisp morning walks with a pumpkin spice latte in hand to seeing the colourful leaves fall on the streets of London, there are so many reasons why autumn is my favourite season. However, planning the outfits I’m going to wear is by far the most exciting part, and although I love not overheating with the emergence of the chillier weather, the inevitable UK rainy days are still something that gets me stuck on what to wear. I find that classic raincoats cover up too much of the outfit I want to show off, and whilst blazers look very chic, past experience has shown me that they’re a terrible choice in the rain.

Luckily, H&M’s new autumn range brought my attention to a timeless style that merges utility and chicness. Enter the H&M waxed jacket (£55), a perfect blend of the sophistication you get from a boxy blazer with the waterproof finish you need for the unpredictable UK weather.

The waxed jacket is nothing new to the fashion world, with heritage brands like Barbour credited for making the style so popular. However, unlike before when the design was associated heavily with royal fashion, celebs and fashion people alike brought it into the mainstream for autumn 2024, and it still proves to make any outfit look way more expensive.

Dua Lipa was spotted earlier this season wearing a country waxed jacket with shorts and a baseball cap, proving that the style is the key to giving an outfit the ‘old money‘ vibes we all know and love. Since then, we’ve seen several luxury brands such as Toteme release their versions of the style, but with H&M’s rich-looking version being sold for under £55, I’ll be investing in this affordable buy to wear for both dry and rainy days.

Dua Lipa wears a similar waxed jacket with shorts and a baseball cap.

H&M’s waxed jacket is made of 100% cotton meaning it’s not only water-repellant and wind proof but breathable enough to not leave you feeling damp after it rains. It’s currently only available in one colourway, but the deep khaki shade of the coat as well as the contrast black collar is versatile enough to go with almost any colour in your wardrobe. And as someone who has far too many black coats, I’m very happy to have this softer alternative in my wardrobe to wear with the brown. cream and grey tones I’ll be throwing on this autumn.

And the styling possibilities for this luxe-looking jacket are endless. I’ll be throwing this on with everything, from tailored trousers and a button-shirt for the office, to my knitted midi dresses on casual days out. I’m even planning to wear it with my roll-neck jumper, mini skirt and heeled boots for dinners out this season.